The last three weeks have been good for the Belvidere North girls bowling team.

The Blue Thunder finished third at the Guilford Invite on Jan. 25, and then the next weekend, took seventh at the Dixon Tournament. The momentum continued with last week's second-place finish at the Sycamore Regional to advance to today's Freeport Sectional.

"It has been a work in progress," North coach James Paddock said. "We've made a few line-up changes and the energy level and chemistry has been wonderful since we made changes.

North is getting it done with a team that has no seniors. That accounted for the team's shaky start to the season.

"Teaching the girls to compete has been a message we have instilled since my first day with the team," Paddock said. "We now have girls who are beginning to understand what that word 'compete' really means."

Juniors Haley Solberg and Emily Ashens lead the charge. Solberg, who finished third in the NIC-10 with a 205 average, won the Sycamore Regional title with a 1,247 six-game pinfall. Ashens was second on the team at Sycamore with 1,168.

"They have been two of our bowlers that we have been able to count on this year on a consistent basis," Paddock said.

Rounding out the team are junior Tiffany Wagner and sophomores Ashley Platt, Annissa Hintt and Kaitlyn Trimble.

"As a team, we keep getting better and we want to stay motivated and positive," Solberg said.

North will be one of 12 teams at Sycamore competing for a top four berth to advance to state, something the Blue Thunder have never done. Last year, Solberg went as an individual finishing 38th.

"It was a good experience," she said. "We're looking to go as a team and we feel we can compete and get there."